The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-03-08
ToPoLoBAMPo.
a Narrowing Tale Of Suffering and
Destitution Among the colonists.
Corr. st. Louis Globe-DemOerat.

NOff OF. LOUIS OioDt-DNho'Aats
NoGALEs, A. T., March 3.-The tain from
Sonora this morning brought up large NUM-
Der Of the Topolobampo colonists. This
party had only gone down as far as Quay
mas, and there meeting some Of the victims
Of the scheme, decided to return. They had
the money to pay return fare. Their ac-
count Of the condition Of the TopOlobampO
colonists, while in many respect showing a
humorous phase, has with 1t dark side that
is sufficiently ample to shade the suntide of
mirth.
The reporter had an interview with sever
al members Of the returning party, among
them a bright, middle-aged man from Chica-
go, DIR. Steele from Michigan, and w. G.
Moore, of Buffalo, n. Y. The latter gentle
man seems the least excited, and took his
medicine good-naturedly, being happy in the
thought that his people had responded to his
telegram and forwarded him through ticket
home. He is. Of course, the center Of inter-
est to reporters. While taking breakfast
with the reporter. he painted word picture
of the condition Of the colonists that ought
certainly to brand Col. Owens as a schemer.
His story is this:
1uC pCOPiC az lOPOAOOdAhpO LAY 0AN On
dry desert, with no fresh water within forty
miles. Many Of them have nothing to eat,
and the returning victims state that it Is no
uncommon thing to see women with their
children sitting on the rocks crying and inn
ploring the Almighty to protect them from
starvation.
TERRIBLE sUFFERINGs.
large number of the discouraged colo
nists undertook TO walk to the railroad, and
many have been murdered by marauders
and their little all taken from them. Some
two weeks ago party of colonists, in little
schooner, only forty feet In length, started
for Guaymas, after having footed fifty miles
to reach the coast, and in two days encOun-
tered a terrible gale. The little Mexican
steamer Altata rescued the passengers OF the
little schooner and took all the women, chill
dren and some Of the men on board and took
them to Guaymas. Some Of the men on
board Of the schooner, thirteen In all, were
left to look after the baggage, and they have
not yet turned up, although they have been
on the water for more than two weeks since
the arrival at Quay mas OF the Altata. 1t Is
now conceded that the little schooner and all
on board are lost, as the sea has for several
days been very rough. The vig0r OF the
waves has even penetrated Guaymas Bay.
The city of Guaymas is flooded with indi-
gent families, and, to make matters worse,
many Of the families are those the heads
of whom were lost on the Inflated schoon-
IT..
The informant cited to the reporter the
case of one poor old German woman with
nine children, the youngest being less than
~ years of age. Her husband was on the
lost schooner, and she arrived in Guaymas
without cent. Although what few Ameri-
cans there are in Guaymas are each day Civ
ing her money, rooms and other necessarie
Of life, she sits all day ON the shore of the
bay weeping, but still hopeful that tue little
schooner will bring her husband TO her.
woFUL TALES.
Tales of woe similar to this are common IN
connection with this TOp0lObampO scheme
What makes it so hard with these unfOFtu-
Guaymas there are few Americans and char
ity Is taxing them to death. 10 Illustrate,
one man who keeps grocery and saloon
near the depot, pays out IN cash O. TOp0lo-
bampo victims more than double the amount
Of his income. The victims have tried IT, get
work to supply themselves with their daily
bread, but as the place Is an old fashioned
Mexican town there is no demand for labor
A few days ago Col. Owen, the originator
of the TOp0lobampo scheme, passed through
here, presumably en- route 10 the Bay Of To-
pOlObampO, While at Guaynias he met
large number Of the destitute cOl0nists, and
when appealed TO. positively refused Go call
upon the INDECENT families Col. Hawkins
Of Minnesota, who was the attorney Tor the
colony, is now in Guaymas, en- route tO his
home in the United States, loaded with an
immense amount Of disgust, and his breast
contains vast amount Of startling elo-
quence.
killed off number Of the col0nists, aud now
diphtheria is raging to frightful extent in
their families. Another large party will pass
through here from Guaymas tomorrow.
Many who have no families, and who have
been able to reach Guaymas, are walking
through Sonora on the railroad track, trying
to reach the United States.